Britain & America - two countries seperated by a common language

[Donut]

Prompted by the Grey v Gray debate. I have always been intrigued by the way in which language evolves. For example - when did the spelling of grey change to gray and why? Will American English be a seperate language one day? Why are there so many different regional accents in Britain? and why do Americans that I have met in the States think I'm Australian even when I'm sober!

Many of the American words are also used in Britain. Some of the words are just changes in spelling.

AMERICAN - BRITISH
Airplane - Aeroplane
Aluminum - Aluminium
Apartment - Flat
Appetizer - Entree, Starter
Archeology - Archaeology
Baked Potato - Jacket Potato
Bathroom - Loo, The Toilet
Band-Aid - Elastoplast
Bank Teller - Cashier
Bedspread - Similar to a Eiderdown and Duvet
Billion - Trillion
Bleachers - Terrace
Braces (for teeth) - Brace
Call me (on the phone) - Ring me
Can - Tin
Candy - Sweets
Catalog - Catalogue
Chapstick - Lip Balm
Check - Cheque
Checkers - Draughts
Chips - Crisps
Cigarette - Fag
Closet (bedroom) - Wardrobe
Clumsy - Cackhanded
Collect Call - Reverse Charge Call
Color - Colour
Cookie - Biscuit
Cotton Candy - Candy Floss
Commercial - Advertisment
Cracker - Savoury biscuit
Crib - Cot
Cross Walk - Zebra Crossing, Pedestrian Crossing
Crossing Gaurd - Lollipop Man/Woman
Cupcake - Fairy Cake
Curb - Kerb
Dessert - Afters, Pudding
Detour - Diversion
Diaper - Napkin, Nappy (we don't wipe our mouth with a napkin )
Drugstore - Chemist
Duplex - Semi-Detached House
Eggplant - Aubergine
Elevator - Lift
Emergency Room - Casualty or Accident & Emergency A&E
Eraser - Rubber
Expensive - Dear
Faucet - Tap
Favorite - Favourite
Fire Department - Fire Brigade
Flashlight - Torch
A Flirt - Tart
Freeway (Expressway) - Motorway, Carriageway
Garbage Man - Dustman
Garter Belt - Suspenders
Gasoline - Petrol
Gizzards - Offal
Golashes - Wellingtons, Wellies
Gray - Grey
Hamburger Bun - Bap
Honor - Honour
Hood (car) - Bonnet
Horny - Randy
House (one story) - Bungalow
Humor - Humour
Hungry - Peckish
Jail - Gaol
Jello - Jelly
Jelly - Jam
Jewelry - Jewellery
Kiss (passionate) - Snog
Ladybug - Ladybird
Line - Queue
Living Room - Lounge
Lawyer - Barrister, Solicitor
Leash (Dog) - Lead
Licens Plate - Number Plate
Liquor store - Off License, Offy
Mail - Post
Mailbox - Postbox
Mail Carrier - Postman, Posty
Maneuver - Manoeuvre
Math - Maths
Mold - Mould
Movie - Film
Movie Theater - Cinema
Napkin - Serviette
Nudist - Naturist
On/Off Ramp - Slip Road
Oven - Cooker
Overalls - Dungarees
Overpass - Flyover
Pacifier - Dummy
Pants - Trousers
Paper Towel - Kitchen towel, Kitchen Paper
Parade - Carnival
Parking Lot - Car Park
Period - Full Stop (I won't even try to explain what a period means to us
Pharmacist - Chemist
Picnic Basket - Picnic Hamper
Pie Crust - Pastry Base
Plastic Wrap - Clingfilm
Private school - Public school (now how did this happen? )
Public School - State school
Pajamas - Pyjamas
Purse - Handbag
Raincoat - Mackintosh
Realtor - Estate Agent
Rent (to) - Hire
Robe - Dressing Gown
Rubber - Condom
Sand Box - Sand Pit
Sandwich - Butty, Sarny
Santa Claus - Father Christmas
Sell - Flog
Shopping Cart/Basket - Trolley
Sidewalk - Pavement
Sir - Squire, Guv'nor (I don't think so!)
Sneakers -Trainers, Plimsolls,Pumps
Soccer - Football
Spelled - Spelt
Stroller - Pram, Pushchair
Styrofoam - Polystyrene
Suspenders - Braces (only women wear suspenders! )
Sweater - Pullover, Jumper
Take-Out - Take-Away
Talk Show - Chat Show
Traffic Jam - Tailback
Thumb Tack - Drawing Pin
Tic Tac Toe - Noughts and Crosses
Tire - Tyre
Toothpick - Cocktail Stick
Track Housing - Housing Estate
Trailor - Caravan
Trash - Rubbish
Trailor Trash - Tottenham Hotspur
Trash Can - Bin, Dustbin (the one outside)
Truck - Lorry
Trunk (car) - Boot
Tuxedo - Dinner Jacket
Umbrella - Brolly
Undershirt - Vest
Underwear - Pants, knickers 'Nice pants' is NOT a compliment.
Vacation - Holiday
Vest - Waistcoat
Wallet (Woman's) - Purse
Washcloth - Flannel
Windshield - Windscreen
Yard - Garden
Zee (letter) - Zed
Zip Code - Post Code
Zucchini - Courgette



------------------

Save Chip - Don't let Sarah win!
Official Titterer of the Laughing Hyenas

[Yorick]

Too true Donut. It is most assuredly a language in development that given isolation and time would definitely move to a dialect and then language.

Very cool post.

------------------
I am the walrus!.... er, no hang on....

A fair dinkum laughing Hyena!

[Memnoch]

I have one:

AMERICAN-BRITISH
wrench-spanner



------------------

[Donut]

Originally posted by Memnoch: I have one: AMERICAN-BRITISH wrench-spanner

I have one for you Memnoch. If you came to England and wanted some sticky tape - would you ask for 'Durex'?

and to any Dutch speakers on the board. The underground system in London is run by London Underground Limited and their logo 'LUL' is plastered up all over the place. Now why would a Dutch friend of mine find that so hilariously funny.

------------------

Save Chip - Don't let Sarah win!
Official Titterer of the Laughing Hyenas

[AzureWolf]

AMERICAN - New Zealand
Airplane - Airplane
Aluminum - Coke cans
Apartment - A Uni Students home
Appetizer - Fish and Chips
Archeology - stuff we dont understand
Baked Potato - The chips in fish and chips
Bathroom - The Pisser
Band-Aid - Sticky Strip
Bank Teller - Checkout Chick
Bedspread - Dooner
Billion - Too Much Fuckin Money
Bleachers - Deck
Braces (for teeth) - Shit Collectors
Call me (on the phone) - Gimme a yell
Can - Can
Candy - Lollies
Catalog - Rubbish
Chapstick - Lip Balm
Check - Check
Checkers - Naughts and Crosses
Chips - Chips
Cigarette - Durry
Closet (bedroom) - Wardrobe
Clumsy - Retarded (not offending disabled ppl)
Collect Call - Collect Call
Color - Colour
Cookie - Biscuit
Cotton Candy - Candy Floss
Commercial - More of that damn crap on again
Cracker - Cracker
Crib - Cot
Cross Walk - Zebra Crossing, Pedestrian Crossing
Crossing Gaurd - Lollipop Man/Woman
Cupcake - Cupcake
Curb - Curb
Dessert - Dessert
Detour - Short cut
Diaper - Turdwipes
Drugstore - Chemist
Duplex - Sounds like Durex condoms
Eggplant - Eggplant
Elevator - Sex-o-matic
Emergency Room - Emergency Room
Eraser - Rubber
Expensive - SHIT!
Faucet - Tap
Favorite - Favourite
Fire Department - Fire Department
Flashlight - Torch
A Flirt - Skank
Freeway (Expressway) - Freeway
Garbage Man - Garbo
Garter Belt - Cant say no one wears them
Gasoline - Petrol
Gizzards - Offal
Golashes - Gumboots
Gray - Grey
Hamburger Bun - Hamburger Bun (what the hell kinda name is a bap?)
Honor - Honour
Hood (car) - Bonnet
Horny - Horny
House (one story) - Uni Student House
Humor - Humour
Hungry - Starved
Jail - Jail
Jello - Jelly
Jelly - Jam
Jewelry - Jewellery
Kiss (passionate) - Deep throat
Ladybug - Ladybird
Line - Queue
Living Room - Lounge
Lawyer - Servants of the Devil
Leash (Dog) - Leash
Licens Plate - Number Plate or Liscense plate
Liquor store - Boozer
Mail - Mail
Mailbox - Postbox
Mail Carrier - The guy whos having an affair with the lady of the house
Maneuver - Manoeuvre
Math - Maths
Mold - Mould
Movie - Movie
Movie Theater - Cinema
Napkin - Serviette or Napkin
Nudist - Weirdo
On/Off Ramp - On/Off Ramp
Oven - Oven, Stove
Overalls - Overalls
Overpass - Overpass
Pacifier - Pacifier
Pants - Pants
Paper Towel - Paper Towel
Parade - Traveling Freakshow
Parking Lot - Car Park
Period - Full Stop (I won't even try to explain what a period means to us
Pharmacist - Chemist
Picnic Basket - Picnic Basket
Pie Crust - Pastry Base
Plastic Wrap - Gladwrap
Private school - Private school
Public School - Public school
Pajamas - Pyjamas
Purse - Handbag
Raincoat - Raincoat
Realtor - More servants of Satan
Rent (to) - Hire
Robe - Dressing Gown
Rubber - Condom
Sand Box - Sand Pit
Sandwich - Sandwich
Santa Claus - Father Christmas
Sell - Sell
Shopping Cart/Basket - Trolley
Sidewalk - Footpath
Sir - Sir
Sneakers -Sneakers
Soccer - Soccer
Spelled - Spelt
Stroller - Pram, Pushchair
Styrofoam - Polystyrene
Suspenders - Braces (only women wear suspenders! )
Sweater - Jumper or sweater
Take-Out - Take-Away
Talk Show - Talk Show
Traffic Jam - Traffic Jam
Thumb Tack - Drawing Pin
Tic Tac Toe - Noughts and Crosses
Tire - Tyre
Toothpick - Toothpick
Track Housing - Housing Estate
Trailor - Caravan
Trash - Rubbish
Trailor Trash - ?
Trash Can - Bin, Dustbin (the one outside)
Truck - Truck
Trunk (car) - Boot
Tuxedo - Tuxedo
Umbrella - Umbrella
Undershirt - ?
Underwear - Undies, Knickers
Vacation - Holiday
Vest - Vest
Wallet (Woman's) - Purse
Washcloth - Cloth
Windshield - Windscreen
Yard - Garden
Zee (letter) - Zed or Zee
Zip Code - Zip Code
Zucchini - Big long green thing

ok so it is alot of slang
but we arnt par of the empire no more

------------------




"I was born of darkness. My fathers eyes closed before mine opened. I am not of this world or the other, and I have the right to be what I am..."

[bilqis]

I'm impressed Donut. You did a lot of work on this. It reminds me of a discussion I had with a couple of people from England that I was working with in Yemen. Somehow in a conversation I used the word "aluminum", and they burst out laughing. We ended up having a somewhat intense debate (no, not argument) about the proper pronunciation of it .. was it "Aluminum"? Or "AluminIum"? We were both insistent that we were right. I'm a better than average speller (usually ) and so I knew I was correct. It was my first experience with the differences that occur between American English, and British English. Canadian English is different in some ways from both too.

Thanks for posting this Donut. I found it very interesting.

------------------

Sometimes I think I
understand everything,
then I regain consciousness.

Happy Member of Fast Fourward.

[caleb]

Donut how can billion and trillion mean the same thing? I dont care where you are billion and trillion are two very different things.

------------------
BOW TO THE BISCUIT KING AND HIS THRONE OF SCONE!!!

[Moiraine]

Cheers and applause, Donut and AzureCutie !

Now I would like to know, aside from words, are there expressions that differ from American to British to Australian to ... ?

Go back to your pen and paper, guys !

------------------


The world is my oyster !
And now I have the knives to open it ...

[This message has been edited by Moiraine (edited 05-22-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Moiraine (edited 05-22-2001).]

[AzureWolf]

Originally posted by Moiraine: Cheers and applause, Donut and AzureCutie ! Now I would like to know, aside from words, are there expressions that differ from American to Britis to Australian to ... ? Go back to your pen and paper, guys !

Thats a question you should ask Memnoch. He is the resident knowledgeable Aussie

------------------




"I was born of darkness. My fathers eyes closed before mine opened. I am not of this world or the other, and I have the right to be what I am..."

[Donut]

Originally posted by caleb: Donut how can billion and trillion mean the same thing? I dont care where you are billion and trillion are two very different things.

An American Billion is different to a British Billion. Up to a miilion we are in agreement. It's one thousand thousands (1 followed by six 0's)

We consider a billion to be one million millions (1 x twelve 0's). In America a billion is one thousand millions (1 x nine 0's)

What we call a billion, you call a trillion. What you call a billion we call a milliard.

My head hurts



------------------

Save Chip - Don't let Sarah win!
Official Titterer of the Laughing Hyenas